29 February 2008

‘Things to do at home after work today in the evening:1. To make Naan Bread.2. NOT to burn down my kitchen (people, on a leap day I always have to be extra careful *smiles*)3. To clean up the mess in my kitchen after I’ve made Naan.’

This is to declare I fully stuck to each paragraph written down. Yes, you may rightly think I followed the recipe word for word and step by step (well, ALMOST ! *sheepish expression on my face*), I didn’t burn down the kitchen and I cleaned it up neatly after storming up the Naan Bread making process. But as a result it wasn’t exactly Naan (I believe it’s a leap day to blame not me *wink, wink, wink*), though I absolutely loved what I eventually got! *a smile from ear to ear*.

I’m chuffed and yet confused. Huh? Yeah, what you think, a girl made pseudo-Naan (and this is what confuses her) but it tastes so damn gooooooooood (and that’s why she is chuffed!) So without further ado I’m titling my newly-made as A Pseudo-Naan Cracker and laying out the recipe.

****Pseudo-Naan Crackers*****

Yields 5-6 crackers

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour + 1/3 cup fine cornmeal (this is the only derivation from the original recipe – which featured 250 g plain flour - I undertook. Do you think it might be the reason of my successful failure*?)

½ tsp salt

½ tsp baking powder

2 tsp sugar

150 ml whole milk

2 Tsp vegetable oil

Sunflower seeds

Method:1. In a medium bowl, combine all dry ingredients. Stir to mix.2. In small bowl, combine milk and oil together. Stir well.3. Make a well in a flour mixture and carefully pour milk mixture in it.4. Carefully mix together the dough by starting from the centre and gradually incorporate the flour from the well edges.5. Knead well for 8-10 mins (time to shake off a few calories *wink*). If the dough is too sticky, add a bit flour at a time.6. Put a kneaded dough in a slightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp clean kitchen towel and place in a warm place to rise (eventually it should double in size). It may take an hour or even more (depending on how warm the place is).7. Preheat the oven/grill (I used an oven) to its maximum temperature and put a baking sheet on the upper shelf.8. When the dough is doubled in size divide it into 5 equal balls. Roll out each dough ball on lightly floured surface to an oval or tear-shaped form. Don’t make it too thin (this is what I did actually. Hm.) Sprinkle over sunflower seeds and press into dough.9. Put naan breads on a baking sheet (I covered it with slightly oiled parchment *a giggle*). I used an oven rather than a grill (do not owe one now) and it took me a bit more time until naan bread cracker cooked (about 8 mins versus 1-2 mins as said in the original recipe).10. Naan breads are best served hot (or warm). Pseudo-Naan Crackers are best when cooled down. *smiles* Divine with fresh soft goat's cheese and a drizzle of honey. The variations are virtually endless.

What’s amazing is that these crackers taste absolutely the same as the savoury crackers I loved in my childhood. So crispy and slightly sweetish, yum! Isn’t it funny how an Indian bread recipe brought up dear childhood memories? A leap day is hilarious, I’m telling you!

*Lately it seems to be a trend in a food-blogging world. Take a look here at Tiina’s post or here at Nicky’sP.S. Being a stubborn (???) person I’ve made some research on naan bread in general, collated a few more recipes, analysed my likely mistakes (you think there are any? *a smile and puppy eyes*) and arrived to a conclusion I’m going to keep on trying until I put things just RIGHT (will keep you posted on my progress!) There, I’ve declared it and may now retreat! *smiles*

25 February 2008

Leave home at abour 16-ish on Saturday. Never mind it’s beastly windy and rainy (in February!!!). Go on the metro, make one switch, walk and hold your umbrella REALLY tight when walking against wind. Finally, reach the Tretyakov Gallery, stand for an HOUR (when it’s so bitterly rainy) in a queu to buy a ticket! SURVIVE this hour! Buy yourself a ticket with trembling from cold hands and enjoy an exhibition ‘Parisian Pleasures’ by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec.

Get inspired by the exhibition, rush back home and get yourself a very seducing treat*.

1. Bring 1 litre water with orange zest and sugar to boil. Peel and core the pears. Keep them whole but cutting the core out from the bottom. Place the pears into a boiling syrup and simmer them over low heat for 20 mins. Place each pear on a dessert dish and let cool a bit.2. Sprinkle grated chocolate over the pears and season with pepper to taste. Enjoy!! Slowly, sensuously, consciously...

When savouring this dessert the first thing you taste is orange flavours that the pear’s absorbed while simmering. But then slowly with self-dignity the chocolate taste makes its entrance and unites with the fragrant pear the subtle flavour of which is highlighted by a freshly ground pepper. Mmmhhhh…

*Yours truly enjoyed it right away, so I simply didn’t have an opportunity to take a photograph. I knew you wouldn’t forgive this to me *wink, wink, wink, wink*, so on Sunday morning I made it for a second time! And of course I enjoyed it AGAIN! *smiles*Part 2. My First Meme...

On Friday I was TAGGED with a meme for the first time (UPDATE: As I'm writing this I've been TAGGED for a second time! Astra Libris, you are a star! *smiles*). So I’m thrilled and chuffed to divulge to you now, My Dear Readers, 5 things you did not know about me...yet. *wink, wink, wink*

1. I’ve got a BA in linguistics.

2. I sometimes wake up EARLY on a Saturday morning to spend 30 minutes back and forth on the metro with the only purpose to reach the Indian Shop in Moscow and get CHICKPEAS. *nods and smiles*

3. I may laugh out loud when asleep. Isn’t it a cool alternative to snoring? *a smile from ear to ear*

4. In summer 2007 I ate 10 kilos of sour cherries within 4 days. I thought I’d explode. I didn’t, but learnt that pretty much of a VERY GOOD thing might damage your health. *nodding again*

Picking up cherry berries fresh from a tree

5. When i’m upset I watch animated hand-drawn cartoons. *puppy eyes*

And now it's time to TAG! *a smile from ear to ear* Guys, you are all so talented, smart and fabulous, I wish I could tag more than 5, but so are the rules and I’m just limited in my choices. So for now the Meme goes to...

I came home to see my mom wearing a sad expression on her face. She met me with these words: ‘Anya, I bought fresh oranges, but they taste so bitter, I’m afraid they’ve got rotten…’ Huh? Bitter rotten oranges? What a disgrace! I went to the kitchen to inspect what exactly was wrong and ended up with a severe laughter attack. Yes, people, a laughter can attack you severely when at first you’re told it’s all about oranges, while in fact it’s all about GRAPEFRUITS. *laughing out loud* It still remains a mystery to me how my mom even managed to confuse oranges with grapefruits (on her side she refuses to answer any of my questions on the issue and just shrugs her shoulders, on my part I think it’s a lunar eclipse consequences), but what really amused me was that she was ready to swap 2 kilos grapefruits for 1 single orange I had in my bag (yes, sometimes an orange finds its way into my bag as well *wink, wink, wink*). So we swapped and I got 2 kilos ripe fragrant grapefruits to ‘juice’ up my moods. Excellent!!

On Fridays I always go funny, thus being in a funny state of mind I splurged 10 euro on a chocolate bar with truffles (yes, there are the time when Fridays might be wallet-unfriendly! *wink*). I know 10 euro is really pretty much for one bar. But then, when you see chocolate in your dreams, it’s a sign from above to go and get it! Wouldn’t you agree? *wink, wink, wink, wink* I felt helpless to resist. I’m sorry. *sheepish expression on my face* Note: Despite what’s stated above I still know what a willpower is. How? I haven’t even unwrapped my chocolate-y treasure yet and it’s been good 7 hours since I bought it! *such a proud smile* You think I shall consult a head doctor?

17 February 2008

On a Sunday morning in February a girl woke up and realized how much she was missing summer. *sigh* The girl felt helpless as she had no such a power to accelerate a season change. Then she came up to a mirror, smiled at her own reflection and thought she could easily have summer on her plate that morning. And so the girl did!

People, a salad I had for brunch today was really amazing. It awoke all my senses. I really mean it. And what amused me most of all was that its ingredients were kind of ‘winterish’.

Either it’s a gene of ‘weirdness’ I’ve got or my ‘summer salad’ inspired me for provocative actions, but later on I did this...I got dressed, painted my nails red, went out for a walk and enjoyed taking photos of my own... hands! (Are your eyebrows higher than your forehead line already?) *wink, wink, wink*

Suddenly the strong northern wind blew and I found myself in a kitchen shop...Of course to get warm, what else? *sheepish expression on a girl’s face* I was browsing through the shop and saw one little cutie (read: an egg whisk) that looked so sad and lonely on a shop shelf, and I just couldn’t help (I really COULD NOT) but buying it..otherwise it would be too cruel to leave it getting cold and dusted there, wouldn’t it? *wink, wink, wink*

In other words, a finger-licking good salad for brunch, one weird photo session outdoors, a random loveable find in a kitchen shop, Crumiri*(MARVELLOUS!) made for 5 o’clock tea and a glass of chilian red wine at dinner** changed the girl’s mind, and by the end of the day the girl didn’t mind at all that it was yet a long way to go to meet summer in real...

******Potato Salad with Walnuts******(recipe source: intuition)

Preparation time:20 minsCooking time: 20 minsServes 2

Ingredients:

2 sweet large potatoes1 Tsp walnuts, chopped1 red apple, cored and cut in chunks(red apple is for colour on your plate, though I used green one as I didn’t have any reds in stock today)1 Tsp orange juice (with orange flesh)Juice of one lemon1 Tsp extra virgin olive oila pinch of ground coriander1 tsp chopped fresh basil leavesFreshly ground pepper to taste

Method (as simple as simple can be at all):

1. Get potatoes cooked in a boiling water until soft but not mushy.2. Combine all the ingredients in a salad bowl and toss well.3. Serve on green salad leaves.4. ENJOY!!!

The combination of ground coriander with an apple, orange flavour and fresh basil was SO good I even couldn’t believe it! I’m telling you it was a summer breeze on my plate!! (After wolfing down the salad I rushed to my wardrobe to check out if I had enough bathing suits for summer! I've got 4 and am wondering if that'd do...*wink, wink, wink*)

*Take a look at Clotilde’s site for a recipe.**I am still very much sober. *wink, wink, wink*

13 February 2008

Happy Valentine's Day to you all, My Dear Readers! Love, wine, chocolate (yes, again! *wink*) – shall I continue? – is all we need! So let it be then!! *smiles*

Recently I chanced upon very helpful tips of how to fix a dish if you used it a bit too extra salt, sugar or spices – just a bit, isn’t it? *wink, wink* and am now eager to share my knowledge with you. If you’ve planned a romantic dinner for two, (or even for yourself) spoiled moods is the last thing we are expecting on this lovely day (or any other wonderful day so far), so let this never happen, shan’t we? Forks and spoons up then!

Well, here we go…

If your dish is turned to be too salty, add something sour or sweet to it – a few drops of vinegar, lemon juice, a pinch of sugar, dessert spoon honey. If tomato taste fits in your dish concept, use canned unsalted tomatoes then.

Overly sweet dish can be fixed by adding a bit of vinegar or citrus juice. Flavourful spices like cayenne pepper come for rescue as well. If you’ve made extra sweet dessert, add up a bit of spirits or ground coffee.

Adding something fatty like butter, (sour)cream, vegetable oil, OR sugar, honey, syrup - depending on your dish character really - might as well fix a problem of a too spicy or sour taste.

Hopefully I’ve told you something new and now you are very glad that you’ve read this before starting cooking. Are you? *wink, wink, wink*

UPDATE: Don't let the posting date displayed above confuse you and think I might be an inadequate girl, I know that Valentine's Day is on February 14th! *nods and smiles* So today is the 14th and - oh - I've just got a bunch of gorgeous flowers!! *wink, wink, wink, wink*

12 February 2008

I want to be smart. And I still believe (hopefully not in vain! *wink*) that a quality of being smart is something you can acquire rather than get it inherited from your smart parents. *smiles* So I want to be smart, thus I eat lots of cabbage. Why? Well…I simply follow Alexander Makedonsky’s advice (not to me, but to his soldiers) to eat cabbage to get a good stamina (why the way this word sounds always frightens me? *an interrogative question on my face*) and be very smart consequently. Ta da!

So I’m obsessed with cabbage. I really am. *L, do you remember how I left a cabbage head in your fridge when I was staying at your lovely home and then we left for a few days? What did you find when you came back home - a rotten cabbage head? You were so noble not to comment on it, thanks! And sorry for the cabbage invasion! *wink, wink, wink*

Within the last few years I learnt there are thousands of recipes that feature different sorts of cabbage cooked in various ways (I’m telling you I am not always in the loop, so what might be novel to yours truly isn’t necessarily a discovery to you *a sheepish expression and a smile from ear to ear*). On a daily basis my personal preference goes to raw cabbage (sliced into thin stripes) for use in salads. But there are absolutely no limits in my relations to this glorious vegetable, so lately I’m hooked on this dish…

2. Add mustard seeds and fenugreek and fry for about 30 secs (or until they start popping)

3. Add the crashed chillies, chickpeas (make sure you rinse them well before cooking) and peanuts. Turn the heat down and fry just until the peanuts start to colour.

4. Add the curry leaves, cabbage, turmeric and salt to taste.

5. Fry for about 5 mins until the cabbage has wilted but still crunchy.

6. At the end I added a pinch of ground cinnamon and juice of ½ lemon (to my mind, or to be more precise to my taste, cinnamon matches well with the soft flesh of chickpeas and lemon pairs nicely with the peppery taste of the cabbage).

*****

The dish is now one of my favourites. It’s healthy, flavourful and filling (Are you not convinced yet? *wink, wink, wink*). In fact I’m already having it for three days* in a row. *wink, wink, wink* It’s just so good that I can’t help but cooking it over and over. And people don’t you forget that I’m gonna be smart? *a happy smile*

*On day 2 I even suffered a chilli attack. It was pretty hurtful, believe me! I decided to play it coolI and add more chillies to the dish than featured in the recipe. And what do you think? Errr...I knew I could cry much after deseeding fresh chillies (an observation from my life experience), but I did not know I could COUGH that much because of the chilli fumes when evaporating. Well, now I know. *a proud smile*

9 February 2008

I pretty much love my big bag. My personified vocabulary (what? ) tells me that a ‘big bag’ means a ‘bag that can contain a girl’s survival kit’. And what is the girl’s survival kit? I’ll tell you. *wink* The girl’s survival kit (at least this girl’s *wink, wink, wink*) is everything what she might need on a daily basis: a pair of shoes to change at work, another neck scarf in a case if the girl gets fed up with the one she’s already wearing since morning, a (cook)book to keep herself well-educated and inspired in moments of hectic commuting on the metro (pffffff), a notebook to document oh-so-welcome gastronomic brainwaves, a bar of damn good chocolate not necessarily eaten up but obligatory warming up by its omnipresence the girl’s heart and soul on gloomy moscovian days, a bottle of plain water and a lunchbox with nutritious and mouth-watering food to keep the girl entertained and healthy, and apart from the latter a fresh, crispy, flavourful loaf of artisanal bread/baguette!! Well, I've just introduced you my survival kit. *a proud smile from ear to ear*

Oh fresh bread…Now I’m talking sense indeed, amn’t I? *wink, wink, wink* And presently there are only two places in Moscow for me where I get my daily bread: it’s either my kitchen (where I make my own) or the Eric Kaiser’s bakery* (that one that’s in Moscow**). And believe me, when the rainy (not even snowy) winter weather over here reminds you of all the misery of soaked boots and smeared mascara (pretty picture, isn’t it? *wink, wink*), the bread aroma coming out from your bag and reaching your flaring nostrils is indescribably soothing and relaxing. People step on your feet and even push you, cars rush by at high speed and splash you all over your RED coat with muddy water from pools while you keep on walking and smiling...’cause you’ve got the survival kit in your big bag! And my bagful always makes my day!!

*Sure, I’ve got a long way to go to compare my own bread with the Eric Kaiser’s, and yet it’s so fresh and lovely, and I’m proud to be able to make it!

5 February 2008

Food is the art - and you don’t doubt it, do you? But have you ever come to love some things edible because of the arts? Well, probably you have and what I’m going to narrate about just in a few seconds will not surprise you at all. On the other hand, you might as well rush to the nearest fine arts museum in a quest for a gastronomic discovery and inspiration. *wink, wink, wink, wink*

Vincent van Gogh introduced me to almonds! I’m not delirious at all! On the contrary, I’m so much proud and grateful for the days I spent in Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam getting acquainted with his masterpieces. Among which was gorgeous Almond Blossom. Now you see that I’m no way nuts? *wink, wink, wink, wink* So, I’ll repeat once again:- People, Vincent van Gogh introduced me to almonds through his adored by me painting Almond Blossom!

You wouldn’t believe that by the age of 21 I hadn’t had a single almond in my life (I myself find it rather difficult to believe it now). No matter how bitter it might be, it is true though – no almonds before 21. Of course, it is quite possible to live without these nutty nuts; but what a life is it then? Well…you’ve got the picture. *wink, wink, wink*

So, there I was: a girl standing in the middle of a museum hall marvelling at the Almond Blossom. With the thoughts like these: ‘oh gosh, how divine and delicate the almond tree is painted. The aura of the painting is just overwhelming. It feels as though I’m in a spring garden with the air full of subtle, exhilarating aromas. Why have I never tasted almonds yet? Why, why, why?’ Oh, this guy next to me is so damn good-looking. Oh, and he is looking at me! Oh, and he is saying something to me! Fantastic!’ *wink, wink, wink, wink*

Without any further ado I want to say I am a dedicated almond-eater now! I must tell you that to me personally these nuts are something else! No less than aristocrats in a nutty world! Not so eager to reveal their true taste right away they demand all your attention to their sweetish nature. After kilos of different sorts of nuts eaten in the course of previous years (years, not days!!) I’ve definitely got a thing about almonds and developed a distinct taste for them. Meaning: I can enjoy them both straight from a jar and am able already to distinguish them in more or less elaborate dishes*. And this is what I had for my dinner tonight…

Steps to take:1. Cook quinoa: bring two cups of water to a boil with one cup of grain, cover at a low simmer and cook for about 12-14 mins or until the germ separates from the seed. The cooked germ should look like a tiny curl and have a slight bite to it. I love my quinoa cooked al dente! Tip: to add up more flavour to the quinoa, put an orange rind into boiling water.

2. In the meantime, finely chop the parsley and cut an orange into segments.

3. Set a small non-stick saucepan over a medium heat and melt the honey (make sure you don’t burn it instead *wink, wink*). Once the honey is fluid, stir in the almond flakes, and mix well so that the nuts are evenly covered with honey and cook for about one minute. I also sprinkled freshly ground pepper over the nuts to extract their flavours more. Tip: prepare the nuts at a final stage of the process when the remainder of the ingredients are ready, otherwise you’ll end up with the nuts stuck too hard to your saucepan’s bottom. Errr..

4. Combine all the ingredients in a moderate bowl (including a pinch of turmeric and salt to taste). Mix well.

5. Before serving sprinkle your quinoa with a few drops of olive oil and fresh orange juice. I felt like adding a tiny bit of raspberry vinegar to maintain an acidulous part of the dish for a balance (I seem to be obsessed with raspberry vinegar lately, but it’s really so good! *wink, wink, wink*) .**********

My overall impression of the dish is very much positive, even more than that. The earthiness of the quinoa, citrus freshness of orange, the sweetness of almonds and honey and a spiciness of turmeric mix up naturally to create a flavourful dish that will leave you and your taste buds well fed and content. At least it worked out perfectly for me!

Oh Almonds! I love thee!!

* In my vocabulary ‘elaborate dish’ means a dish that contains more than one ingredient. *a smile from ear to ear*

2 February 2008

Rule #1. Do not make an appointment for a hairdresser’s for an early afternoon if you’ve planned to make pancakes late in the morning for the same day.

Rule #2. Do not make pancakes late in the morning if you’ve made an appointment for a hairdresser’s early in the afternoon for the very same day.

Yours truly didn’t abide by the rules aforementioned and ended up with the pancakes flying all over my kitchen and the visit to the hairdresser’s put a few hours back*.I’ve had an idea to call one of my Saturdays a Pancake Day for long already, but didn’t seem to have guts enough to cope with my pancake-related unconfidence (yes, such a thing exists!) and said to myself ‘Some other day, Darling! Some other day!’ (it’s not bad to call yourself darling, is it? *puppy eyes and smiles*). But recently Cinnamonda asked me if I could share with her (and now with all of you) a (trusty) pancake recipe. Well, I’ve got many, and I made numerous attempts to bake some, but every single time I got defeated (either by lumps in a batter, or a pan that didn’t seem to be willing to be a non-stick frying pan *sigh*) and never made it to the end. However, this time was different, ‘cause I promised in public, and I’m a girl who keeps her promises, especially those made publicly. *wink, wink, wink, wink*

Before launching such a serious pancake campaign I had to find an authority’s support in the person of my grandmother (Grandma, I love you!), whose pancakes are just finger-licking good! So I gave her a call to ask for all the gory details of the recipe. *smile from ear to ear*

Today I made my pancakes (three were a dud, the rest was just splendid) and can proudly call Saturday of February the 2nd a day! *smiles*And now for my

1. Combine eggs, sugar (I didn’t use any, and it didn’t diminish the final taste at all), milk (warm it up slightly in a thick-bottomed pan) and salt in a large bowl. Mix well.

2. Start adding up flour ½ a cup at at time to avoid lumps (and a possible ‘lumpful collapse’ afterwards). Better if you add up flour by sifting it through right into a bowl. Whisk thoroughly. The final consistency of the batter should be quite thick (like that one of a pureed soup), thus the amount of flour given in the recipe is approximate. In other words, use your intuition to judge when enough is enough.

3. The next step is a must! Let the pancake batter breathe. How? Very simple. Take a ladleful batter and pour it back into the bowl. Do so for a minute. You’ll see small bulbs coming up to the surface, what’s a good sign...your pancake batter is breathing in the oxygen.

4. Now you need to make the batter a bit runnier, thus pour into it 1 cup lukewarm water. Stir the batter well. Finally add vegetable oil, mix it in and let the batter breathe once again. Let it stand for about 20 mins.

5. Ladle the batter in a VERY hot and thoroughly greased low-rimmed frying pan, swish the pan around in a cicular motion to form a round disk from the batter and cook for 1 min (or a bit longer) until the edges start to turn golden. Run the tips of a spatula or knife around the pancake to loosen, peek underneath and flip iy. On the other side the pancake usually gets golden within 20-40 secs. Grease the pan after every two pancakes (or even after every one, as in my case).

6. Serve hot with any filling you fancy: be it honey, jam, home made peanut-butter, chocolate, fresh berries, fruits spreads, sour cream, smoked salmon with slices of fresh cucumber, or even caviar? *wink* (If you don’t eat them right away from a pan, set a heatproof plate with the pancakes over a pot with a simmering water and cover the pancakes with foil).

Oh, the pancakes were so good! I served mine with a fresh butter-like honey and a forest fruits jam. Fabulous!!!

P.S. Dear Cinnamonda, thanks to your friendly request I’m now a woman who can make pancakes! And I must tell it feels so damn good! When there is a Pancake Week in Russia preceeding the Great Lent before Easter I’m no longer a black sheep of the family!!! *wink, wink, wink, wink*).

A few words

Hello, I am Anya Sokha (32). I am Russian, and Amsterdam, the Netherlands is my current home. Here I have been busying myself with various things, such as getting a master’s degree in English linguistics (finished!); being a bread baker (an apprentice before, and a dish-washer before that) in a French-style bakery; and figuring out where I should go next.

Godful Food has nothing to do with church and such. I made the word 'godful' up to show that food and writing are my religion. I was trying to be clever or something.